Maize and Science - Agriculture Informer

Eat this maize podcast

Agricultural Biodiversity

DECEMBER 5, 2023

Modern maize has long been a puzzle. For a long time, botanists weren’t even sure which continent maize was from. That seemed to be settled with the discovery in lowland Mexico of teosinte, a wild and weedy relative of maize. Their paper was published last week in Science. But there was a problem.

Maize

Maize Science

Nibbles: Forest seed collecting, Colombian maize, Türkiye & China genebanks, Community seedbank trifecta, Wheat breeding, Rice breeding, Bean INCREASE, WorldVeg regen, UK apples, Rangeland management

Agricultural Biodiversity

JULY 3, 2024

Whole bunch of new maize races collected in Colombia. And in Europe with the INCREASE project , which has just won a prize for citizen science. Sort of citizen science too. Kinda citizen science. Could even do it through citizen science. How to collect forestry seeds. The Türkiye national genebank in the news.

Maize

Maize Seeding Science Forestry

Nibbles: USDA germplasm plan, Millet CoP, Seed system resources, Kenyan sorghum Scottish crab apples, Heirloom maize, Yak cheese, Indian mangoes

Agricultural Biodiversity

DECEMBER 4, 2023

The Seed System Lab at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences has lots of interesting resources on its new website. Why Jimmy Red maize is worth saving, despite its faults. Yes, there’s now a community of practice on millets. The latest on the Kenyan genebank’s sorghum work. Yak cheese ? Yes, please.

Maize

Maize Seeding Science Agriculture

Brainfood: Biodiversity review, History, Maize history, Maya ag, Agroecology, Ancient curry, IK, Culture & policy, Breeding review, Pacific PGRFA, Pacific breeding, Epidemics, Xylella

Agricultural Biodiversity

SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

Seeds of knowledge: paving the way to integrated historical and conservation science research. Conserving the genetic diversity of domesticated species needs to combine history and science. Maize and precolonial Africa. Maize contributed to slavery. Citizen science to the rescue? History indeed. And fast.

Agroecology

Agroecology Maize Seeding Science

Nibbles: CAAS genebank, VACS, Opportunity crops, Ross-Ibarra, Canary sweetpotatoes, Land Institute crowdsourcing, BBC seed podcast

Agricultural Biodiversity

JANUARY 24, 2024

The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences genebank fills some gaps. Which is not to say working on staples like maize isn’t cool. I wonder if any of those new accessions are “ opportunity crops.” ” Because they are sorely needed, for example in Africa. Just ask Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra.

Seeding

Seeding Maize Crop Science

Mexico’s Corn Defenders Honored with Environmental Prize

Food Tank

OCTOBER 16, 2023

They know maize is different.” They will also argue that precautionary measures are needed to protect the country’s wealth of native maize diversity, which is threatened by uncontrolled GM cross-pollination. He said with a smile, “The judge surely eats tacos. Everyone here eats tacos. He was right. So precaution is warranted.

Maize

Maize Food Agroecology Seeding

25 Books Guiding Us Toward More Regenerative Food Systems

Food Tank

JANUARY 27, 2025

Drawing from decades of field research, he argues that the answer is in strategies that are based in colonial agricultural science. Readers will learn about the programs supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, field trials of hybrid Maize in Kenya, and the worlds largest biotechnology companies.

Food

Food Agriculture Agriculture Agroecology

Study Identifies Pearl Millet as Pollinator Food Source

ATTRA

JUNE 18, 2024

A study by USDA Agricultural Research Service and University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers found that pearl millet pollen can provide a food source for pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Food

Food Maize Fertilizer Science

Genetically Modified Corn Tribunal Raises Concerns with First Decisions

Food Tank

JANUARY 2, 2024

If not, the restriction exhibits either a profound misunderstanding of the science of GMOs or a systemic bias that excludes the main health risks under discussion, accepting as given the U.S. No questions asked, apparently. A more worrisome sign came in one of the letters of acceptance. ” Exclude what?

Science

Science Food Processing Maize

Remembering Wally Falcon: A Visionary Leader in Food Security and Agricultural Economics

Food Tank

OCTOBER 3, 2023

Falcon was a widely recognized and sought-after consultant to governments and food-related international organizations including the Agricultural Development Council, the International Rice Research Institute, and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

Food

Food Agriculture Agriculture biotechnology

Seeds from Wild Crop Relatives Could Help Agriculture Weather Climate Change

Civil Eats

APRIL 22, 2024

A 2020 paper in the National Academy of Sciences’ journal found that over half of the 600 CWRs identified in the study were either endangered or threatened. a) teosinte and maize (Zea mays); b) chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum); c) common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); d) cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

Seeding

Seeding Crop Agriculture Agriculture

The U.S.-Mexico tortilla war

Food Environment and Reporting Network

MAY 28, 2024

If the biotech companies defeat maize in its center of origin, it will embolden them to do the same in other centers of origin,” said Tania Monserrat Téllez, an organizer with Sin Maiz, No Hay Pais (Without Corn, There Is No Nation), a coalition of groups in Mexico supporting the ban. Photo by Omar Torres/AFP via Getty Images.

Maize

Maize Science Crop Food

124 Food and Agriculture Organizations to Watch in 2024!

Food Tank

DECEMBER 27, 2023

Operating as One CGIAR to take a cohesive, coordinated approach across all organizations in their network, they utilize research to drive science and innovation and tackle pressing global and regional challenges. This year, they were the recipient of the Pax Natura Foundation’s annual environmental prize.

Food

Food Agriculture Agriculture Seeding

A deadly passage

Food Environment and Reporting Network

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Her mothers days were filled with caring for children, hand-milling maize, and tending their small garden. Aracely Marroqun Coronado, 21 On the farm where Aracely grew up, near the town of Comitancillo in Guatemalas western highlands, the maize is so tall in July that it swallows her familys house whole.

Maize

Maize Distribution Farming Farming

Agriculture Informer

Eat this maize podcast

Nibbles: Forest seed collecting, Colombian maize, Türkiye & China genebanks, Community seedbank trifecta, Wheat breeding, Rice breeding, Bean INCREASE, WorldVeg regen, UK apples, Rangeland management

Trending Sources

Nibbles: USDA germplasm plan, Millet CoP, Seed system resources, Kenyan sorghum Scottish crab apples, Heirloom maize, Yak cheese, Indian mangoes

Brainfood: Biodiversity review, History, Maize history, Maya ag, Agroecology, Ancient curry, IK, Culture & policy, Breeding review, Pacific PGRFA, Pacific breeding, Epidemics, Xylella

Nibbles: CAAS genebank, VACS, Opportunity crops, Ross-Ibarra, Canary sweetpotatoes, Land Institute crowdsourcing, BBC seed podcast

Mexico’s Corn Defenders Honored with Environmental Prize

25 Books Guiding Us Toward More Regenerative Food Systems

Study Identifies Pearl Millet as Pollinator Food Source

Genetically Modified Corn Tribunal Raises Concerns with First Decisions

Remembering Wally Falcon: A Visionary Leader in Food Security and Agricultural Economics

Seeds from Wild Crop Relatives Could Help Agriculture Weather Climate Change

The U.S.-Mexico tortilla war

124 Food and Agriculture Organizations to Watch in 2024!

A deadly passage

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